Event recognises International education links

Associate Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Louise Upston has tonight highlighted the importance of Chinese international students in Christchurch.

Speaking this evening’s opening ceremony for Cultural China – Splendid Sichuan at the Air Force Museum in Wigram, Ms Upston recognised the passionate interest the Sichuan and Christchurch regions share.

“We both value the contribution international education makes to enrich the diversity of our respective communities. We also know that as the world becomes ever more inter-connected, learning about people from other cultures and environments is critical.

“The benefits are plain to see. Education creates enduring people-to-people and cultural links. The relationships established through studying in another country can last a lifetime and even extend through generations.” 

Tonight’s event marks the start of a three-day visit to Christchurch from Sichuan province in China by 80 leaders from government, education, tourism, and business. 

It follows the visit to Sichuan in March led by Mayor Hon Lianne Dalziel to build the relationship between the Sichuan Department of Education and Christchurch Educated Incorporated, representing 80 education providers, as well as discussions of mutual interest on earthquake recovery issues.

The alliance has established a sister school exchange of students and teachers between the two regions. Activity this year includes visits by 10 students and 10 teachers to Christchurch, hosted by local schools, Christchurch Educated and Education New Zealand.

This week’s Sichuan delegation will meet with their Christchurch counterparts, and visit a secondary school and university.

Ms Upston noted Chinese students make up a quarter of the nearly 8000 international students in Christchurch with numbers for private tertiary establishments growing particularly strongly (up 17%).